Salmonella Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Memphis Father and Son Sickened by Food From Local BBQ

Salmonella Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Memphis Father and Son Sickened by Food From Local BBQ

Jul 31 2009

A lawsuit stemming from the recent outbreak of
Salmonella illnesses was filed today in the Circuit Court for Shelby
County, Tennessee against A&R Bar-be-que, LLC. The lawsuit was filed on
behalf of a Memphis father and son by Seattle foodborne illness law firm Marler
Clark and by John Day of the Tennessee firm Day & Blair.

Foodborne illnesses reported to the Shelby
County Health Department by patrons of the A&R Bar-be-que restaurant at
3701 Hickory Hill Road prompted the Health Department to launch an
investigation on July 14. The restaurant closed voluntarily on July 25 and
remains closed at this time.

Eric Phillips Sr. bought food at the Hickory
Hill A&R Bar-be-que on July 9, 2009. He and his son ate food from the
restaurant on July 9 and 10. On Friday, July 10, the 15-year-old began to feel
nauseous and ill. His condition worsened over the weekend, and he was taken to
the doctor on Tuesday. The doctor instructed the family to keep the boy
hydrated, and he was sent home. However, his symptoms increased in severity and
he experienced vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea over the next few days. On the
following Monday, July 20, his mother took him to Le Bonheur Children’s
Hospital, where he was admitted and diagnosed with Salmonella.

Meanwhile, Eric Phillips Sr. was experiencing
similar symptoms over the same period of time. He was eventually admitted to
Methodist Germantown Hospital in Memphis.

Both father and son suffered acute kidney
failure as a result of their Salmonella infections, requiring extensive
medical treatment, including dialysis. They both remain in the hospital.

“The impact on this father and son—and
family—will be life-long,” said the family’s attorney, Andy Weisbecker. “No one
can change that, but what we can do is to make sure that they have a way to pay
for the care they will need.”

Salmonella is a bacterium that causes one of the most common intestinal
illnesses in the US: Salmonellosis. It can be present in uncooked or
undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products, as well as
other foods contaminated during harvest, production, or packaging. Symptoms can
begin 6 to 72 hours from consumption, and include diarrhea, abdominal cramps,
fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. Dehydration is a concern, especially with the
elderly, very young, or immune compromised.

“Anyone experiencing these symptoms should ask
their healthcare providers to culture a stool sample,” continued Weisbecker.
“The culture will indicate if Salmonella is present and can assist in
determining if the illness is part of a larger outbreak.”

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of foodborne illness outbreaks.